The Book of Love

High schoolers Laura, Daniel, and Mo disappeared from the small town of Lovesend, MA, and died under mysterious circumstances. A year later, they find themselves unexpectedly brought back to life in a high school classroom. Their teacher, the unassuming Mr. Anabin, seems to know a lot about their disappearance, and he offers them another chance at life. Under cover of secrecy, they must complete a series of magical tasks; the catch is that not everyone will win, and the consequences are severe. Soon, supernatural figures are drawn to the town, putting everyone in danger. Link’s (White Cat, Black Dog) first full-length novel deftly explores friendship, family, death, and romance. With changes in pitch, accents, and tone, January LaVoy does an excellent job voicing the many characters, human and otherwise. However, despite her superb narration, listeners may still struggle to keep track of the many different personalities and may grow weary of the switches from one perspective to another. Even so, Link’s writing is beautiful, particularly when spoken aloud.